Cam followers are arranged in internal combustion engines within a valve train as transmission elements between cams and the gas exchange valves to be actuated. Cam followers include a lever body that is supported on one end on a support element and with its other end acts on the gas exchange valve to be opened via a contact surface. In a section of the lever body that is close to the center, there is a cam following surface on which, during the operation of an internal combustion engine, a cam of a camshaft runs and causes an oscillating motion of the finger follower. The cam following surface can be constructed as the sliding surface or as a cam roller.
Cam followers are to be understood as, for example, finger followers, rocker arms, or oscillating arms.
From DE 10 2008 036 056, a cam follower is known that is constructed as a finger follower. The cam roller is arranged in a section of the finger follower close to the center between the side walls. The cam roller is supported by a bearing pin. The cam roller is supported by a plain bearing and needles guided in a cage on the bearing pin.
DE 10 2005 059 027 A1 discloses a finger follower that provides a lubricant pocket in at least one side wall. The lubricant pocket is used for supplying the cam roller with lubricant. The lubricant pocket has a wedge-shaped construction.
In EP 1 554 469 B1, a cam follower of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. In the cam follower, a contact surface for a cam has a microstructure. The microstructure has a grating-like construction.